Thermometer



G. P. B'IURNS THERMOMETER Sept, 8, 1953 Filed April 3, 1950 A TTORNE K Patented Se t 8, 1,953 2,651,202

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,651,202 THERMOMETER Grover P. Burns, Fredericksburg, Va. Application April 3, 1950, Serial No. 153,563 8 Claims. (01. 73371) The present invention relates to a thermom- Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be obvious from the description a new and useful thermometer which is a comthereof hereinafter. bination household and clinical thermometer. In conjunction with the following description Thermometers for use in the home or for measof the invention reference should be had to the produced in various sizes and shapes. These to be illustrative, and in which thermometers are usually of the liquid type. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the combina- That is, they contain at one end thereof a resertion household and clinical thermometer,

Voir of'a liquid, such as mercury, alcohol, and Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the short or capillary bore upon expansion due to rise in temarrangement of the scale thereon perature and flows out of said capillary upon Figure 3 is a perspective view of the thermomcontraction due to a drop in temperature. eter in a preferred type of support,

Clinical thermometers are also of the liquid Figure 4 is a side elevation view of the emboditype but due to their specific use have a somement shown in Figure 3, 7 what different construction. Since the ther- Figure 5 is an elevation view of another type mometer must be removed from the patients, support, and mouth to be read it must be of the holding ype Figure 6 is an elevation view of still another i. e., the mercury, or other liquid, must remain type thermometer support. in the position in the capillary bore it attained The objects of the present invention are acwhile in the patients mo This is omcomplished by providing a thermometer I as Dlished b mp y ng a fine cap llary bore having shown in Figure 1, in which 2 is the glass bulb a oonstrictl n therein, through which the m or reservoir containing the liquid such as mercury must pass upon a rise in temperature and cury, alcohol, or the like. The glass bulb is inteof which are known in the art. Further, the r d is continuous, known clinical thermometers are extremely hard h l in the e i ent ho th angle beto read due to the fine pill y bore n a tween the long portion 3 and the short portion fy e at ri f s m s t must be mp y d 4 is one of 90, this angle may beincreased'as in their construction to enable one to see the high as 135 In t, h t th r t i liquid in the capillary tube or b placed under the patients tongue it extends With the known and pr y used Clinical slightly upward and therefore an angle of 135 thermometers the patien Cannot read the Same between the above named portions would be prefwhile it is in his mouth. Also, due to diiference erahie in construction and accuracy of household and 40 In t center of th d a incid nt ith clinical thermometer a thermometer for the axis of the same is an evacuated capillary bined household and clinical use has not been bore or opening 5 which opens into the glass bulb thought to be practical. or reservoir 2 and terminates in the chamber 6 Therefore it is an object of the present invenin t t portion 4 f t rod 7 tion to provide a combination household and When the thermometer I is held in the mouth clinical thermometerof the liquid type. the portion 4 of the same extends upwardly and while the same is in hismouth. is 9 inches in length. The short or upright porto 4 inches but eter which can be easily read and which'requires the desired sensitivity. y no shaking down of the liquid contained therein The long portion 3 comprises the householdafter a reading has been taken; 5 thermometer and the short portion 4; the clinical thermometer. The temperature scale is placed on the outside of the glass rod in the usual manner, the long portion 3 carrying the scale up to 90 F. and the short portion i the scale up to 105 F. The temperature range on each portion may vary somewhat however. The temperature scale may go up as high as 80 to 95 F. on the long portion 3 with the remainder of the scale being on the bend and shorter portion up to 105 or 108 'F.

One embodiment of the invention which is satisfactory is a combination thermometer with a long portion 9 inches in length having a scalethereon ranging from 55 to 90 F. and a short portion 3 inches in length having a scale thereon ranging from 95 to 105 F., the range between 90 and 95 F. constituting the bend in the combination thermometer. In this embodiment 1 inch on the scale is equal to F. which is a scale similar to that of the conventional and presently employed clinical thermometers and having the same sensitivity. The scale may be marked along its entire length in fifths of a degree Fahrenheit if desired, although such accuracy is only required on the clinical portion.

Another embodiment of the invention which has also proved satisfactory is a combination thermometer with a long portion 9 inches in length having a scale thereon ranging from 0 to 85 F. and a short portion 2 inches in length having a scale thereon ranging from 90 to 105 F., the range between 85 and 90 F. falling on the bend in the combination thermometer.

Both of the described embodiments have proved satisfactory when the angle between the long and short portions is 135 and also when it is 120". In both embodiments the short or clinical portion may be lengthened slightly to provide for a scale up to 108 F.

Referring to Figure 2, which is an enlarged view of the short or clinical portion of the combination thermometer, there is shown the scale as the same is etched thereon. One scale 1 is placed on the thermometer in such a position that the same may be read by the person in whose mouth the thermometer is placed. Another scale 8, the same as I, is placed on the thermometer 90 away from scale I so that the thermometer may also be read by someone other than the person in whose mouth the thermometer is placed when the same is desired or necessary. Each of the. scales 1 and 8 may have opaque or milky glass back of them so that the same may be more easily read.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4 there is shown a preferred type of support for the combination thermometer. The support may be made of any rigid material such as wood, plastic, or the like, which is of low thermal conductivity. The support comprises a flat Vertical section 9 which isintegrally attached at its upper end to a transverse section or piece it). In section 10 extending from the center to one end thereof is a groove H which extends downwardly at the center of the section l0 thus in reality being L-shaped. Attached to the back of section i0 is a 12 by which the support may be hung on the wall or elsewhere. Pivotally attached to the front of section H) by means of hinges i3 is a flat piece or cover element l4 which serves to cover the L-shaped groove 1 l and helps keep the combination thermometer. in place. Section 44 is kept in a closed position by means of the hook l5 which is pivotally attached to section ill on one thereof, there being a similar hook positioned on the other -F r'loqivfid.

Attached to the lower end of the vertical section 9 is a block or base It having an elliptical or circular opening I! through the center thereof. The portion 3 of the thermometer passes through the opening H, the block l6 serving to hold the thermometer in position against section 9. The lower end of block l6 has a V-shaped portion l8 cut out of it so that the bulb 2 of the thermometer is exposed to the atmosphere when the thermometer is placed in the support. To facilitate the circulation of air about the bulb 2 there are a plurality of openings [9 in the lower extremity of block 16 and in the front portion thereof.

When the thermometer of the present invention is placed in the holder, as shown in Figure 3, it is supportedtherein by its right angled or olinical'portion 4 resting in the groove 1 l and is held against the vertical section 9 by the block l6. To insert the thermometer in the support the cover or section I4 is swung upward and then closed and locked by the hook i5. While in the support only the long or household portion of the thermometer is exposed. The'support with the thermometer therein may be hung on the wall, or wherever convenient, to serve its purpose as a household thermometer and is readily available and easily accessible when it is desired to use the same for clinical purposes.

No shaking down of the mercury or other liquid therein is necessary when the thermometer of the present invention is employed for clinical purposes. Further, the present invention is economical in that it is two thermometers in one.

two other suitable supports which may be employed-with the present combination thermometer. port shown in Figure 6 is the same as that shown in Figure 3 with the left half of the crosspiece l0 omitted, as viewed therein.

It should be understood that changes and variations may be made spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combination household and clinical thermcmeter. for measuring household and human oral temperatures comprising a straight household portion 9 inches in length having a scale thereon ranging as high as to 90 F. and terminating in a curved section integrally attached to which, at right angles to the household portion, is a straight clinical portion from 1 to 4 inches in length having a scale thereon ranging from about to 95 F. up to about 105 to 108 F, said household portion, curved section and elinical portion having a continuous axial bore therethrough terminating in a bulb attached to the end of the household portion, said bore being of such size that liquid contained therein does not remain fixed upon a the invention as defined in decrease in temperature,

and said clinical portion being such a distance that the indicated human oral temperature thereon may be read by the patient with the combination thermometer in his mouth. 2. A combination household and clinical thermometer for measuring household and human oral temperatures comprising a straight household portion 9 inches in length having a scale thereon ranging from 55 to F. and terminating in a curved section integrally attached to which, is a straight clinical portion 3 inches in length having a scale thereon ranging from to R, the range between 90and 950 from the bulb without departing from theat right angles to the household portion,-

falling on the curved section, said household portion, curved section and clinical portion having a continuous patient with the combination thermometer in his mouth.

4. A combination household and clinical thermometer for measuring household and human therein does not remain fixed upon a decrease in temperature and wherein the first straight portion is 9 inches in length and the second shorter strai leng ght portion is one to 4 inches in 7. A combination household and clinical thermometer f or measuring household and human said shorter straight portion while resting in the groove.

8. A combination household and clinical thermometer as defined in claim 7 wherein the elongated straig t portion is 9 inches in length and the shorter straight portion is one to 4 inches in length.

GROVER P. BURNS.

References Cited in the file of this patent Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Craw Dec. 18, 1894 Noble 1 Jan. 19, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany June 16, 1884 

